In a conventional form of aerosol valve assembly, a vertically acting aerosol valve is opened to release product in the aerosol container by downwardly depressing a button or cap or spout attached to the top of the upstanding valve stem of the aerosol valve. When the button, cap or spout is released, the valve is closed by a spring acting to reseat the valve in a closed position. The valve stem has an annular groove at an intermediate position, with one or more relatively small orifices extending through the valve stem wall at the position of the annular groove. An annular valve sealing gasket with a central opening for the valve stem is positioned in the annular groove, with the orifices being positioned above the lower surface of the valve gasket when the valve is in the closed position. When the valve is opened by pressing the button, etc., the valve stem moves axially downwardly and its one or more orifices will move to a position below the gasket. Product in the aerosol container may then, under the influence of propellant, pass upwardly through the conventional dip tube into the valve housing which surrounds the valve stem, then through the one or more orifices into the valve stem, upwardly through the valve stem bore, and outwardly through an outlet nozzle in the button, cap or spout attached to the top of the valve stem.
It is desirable in certain instances to be able to utilize the above-described conventional aerosol valve to dispense product in large volume at high velocity, for example product in the form of pressurized dusting gas to clean semi-conductor parts, or sprays to attack wasp and hornet nests from a distance, etc. A limitation to date has been due to the need to have sufficient valve stem structure in the area of the annular groove for structural stability, with the valve stem consequently not having sufficient total discharge area in its orifices as well as sufficient available area in the interior of the valve stem itself.
The above-described conventional aerosol valves also may be utilized for filling of product through the valve stem down into the pressurized container for ultimate dispensing back through the valve stem. For fast filling of viscous products, such as shaving gel, it would also be desirable to have sufficient area in the interior of the valve stem as well as sufficient total area in the stem orifices to allow the high speed filling. Such areas have not been available to date for the above-noted structural reasons.